A low-fat Thanksgiving dinner? - includes recipes

Men's Fitness, Nov, 1998 by Kim Galeaz

The Big Day

9:30 a.m.

* Preheat oven to 425 degrees

* Prepare pumpkin pie (see page 91) and bake at 425 for 15 minutes.

* Reduce oven to 350 degrees and continue baking pie according to recipe.

10:00 a.m.

* Prepare turkey (see page 90).

10:30 a.m.

* Pie should be done.

* Turkey goes in oven.

* Set the table.

* Put cranberry sauce in serving dish. Keep cold.

11:00 a.m.

* Prepare the stuffing, but don't bake it yet.

11:30 a.m.

* Prepare potatoes and begin boiling them.

* Check turkey.

* Begin cutting green beans and mushrooms.

12:00-12:30 p.m.

* Put stuffing in oven along with turkey.

* Use meat thermometer to check turkey temperature (180 degrees means it's done).

* Steam green beans and saute mushrooms.

* Mash potatoes and cover to keep warm.

* Microwave gravy until hot.

12:30 p.m.

* Remove stuffing from oven.

* Remove the turkey if it's done.

* Finish preparing beans and mushrooms.

12:45 p.m.

* Set the table.

* Carve turkey after letting it sit for 15 minutes.

* Nuke any food that's cooled off.

1:00 p.m.

* Sit down and enjoy the feast with your guests.

* Bask in the praise everyone will be throwing your way for a job well done.

* Feign exhaustion and guilt-trip someone else into cleaning up while you watch football.

Perfect Turkey

Makes at least six to eight servings (four ounces roasted turkey meat without skin per serving, plus tons of leftovers).

Assemble:

* One seven- to nine-pound fresh or frozen turkey, thawed

* 1 oven cooking bag

* 1 tbs. flour

* Vegetable cooking spray

* Foil roasting pan

* Meat thermometer

Prepare:

* Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

* Remove the turkey wrapper, then dig into the neck and body cavities to remove the plastic bags containing the neck and giblets (yeah, it's messy, but you don't want your guests munching on turkey throat).

* Rinse the bird inside and out with cold water, then drain well, patting the skin dry with paper to towels. Then spray the outside surface with vegetable cooking spray.

* Put the flour in the oven bag and shake it around. Then lay the bag in the roasting pan (don't let it hang over the sides of the pan.)

* Put the turkey in the bag, breast side up. Close the bag (it should have a nylon tie), then cut some half-inch slits in the top of the bag (six or so should do it). Then stick the meat thermometer (piercing the bag in the process) into the lower part of the thigh meat on the side of the turkey, making sure it isn't touching the bone.

* Adjust the oven rack so the bird will roast in the middle of the oven, then plop it in. Write the time here: _____

* Roast for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours until the mercury hits 180 degrees. Remove the turkey and let it sit for 15 minutes before opening the bag.

* Carve the turkey and arrange the pieces on a large platter.

Light meat only, no skin: 177 calories, 18 percent fat (3.5 grams), 2 grams carbohydrate, 34 grams protein per serving

Light and dark meat, no skin: 193 calories, 28 percent fat (6 grams), 2 grams carbohydrate, 33 grams protein per serving

On the light side

What would Thanksgiving be without these traditional favorites? They're lighter than you think, so don't leave them off the menu.